We recently connected with Nikol Straws and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nikol thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

It’s such an interesting question, and at almost 50 I have plenty of time to look back over my life and ponder on the what if’s. I do wish I had found and delved into the world of DJ’ng sooner. I have always loved music – I come from a very strong musical family with ties to churches, venues and celebrities. There was ALWAYS music in our house growing up, and I was exposed to so many genres at a young age – Jazz, R&B, Tropical, Blues, Country, Classical – it was all there. I sang in choirs and played instruments and wrote lyrics – tying all that together into a DJ career in my younger days would have been so much fun!

I can appreciate breaking into the industry later in life, as I think I have a better grasp on the business side and I can also appreciate working alongside my husband. As a team, we DJ, run our AV business and handle other creative industry projects side by side. We have often ruminated on what it would be like to be in our 20s, 30s or even our 40s doing what we do now, and while it would be easier from an age, acceptance and even a physical aspect we are grateful for what we have now.

Nikol, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a California native but have been firmly rooted in the Midwest for almost 20 years. During that time, I have evolved into a quintuple threat in the entertainment industry. I am not just a DJ (DJ Ice Kole) but I also a model, act, write and perform poetry, and am an award-winning line dancer/2-stepper with Kansas City’s own IDWD Productions. All of those passions lend itself to what I do as an entertainer and help me in multiple ways. Once I met my husband, the puzzle pieces fit even more pefectly.

Since 2016 I have been one half of the country’s top husband & wife DJ team, working alongside Joseph Straws III (DJ Joe). We have traveled across the US and performed with the likes of Toby Keith, David Niall, Lipstick Mafia & Johnny Good and the Triple O’s among many other acts. Our talents have seen us perform on the KC Live stage here in Kansas City for the Cordish Companies and have taken us to the streets of KC in the Chiefs Superbowl Parade in 2023. Performing in the fashion that we do lets us meet so many people, do so many things and whether it’s 30 people or 300 people, we are always focused on doing our best and making sure the audience has a great time!

I have predominantly worked in the mobile DJ/wedding DJ space, so the bulk of my gigs are private. This is great financially but doesn’t always lend itself to promotion and public recognition. It can make it challenging for people to know who you are and what you do, but I enjoy making people move with music, so I stay focused on that. My hallmarks have been providing a tailored experience and not just playing what’s popular on the radio – I want you to hear the music you grew up on, fell in love with, made memories to, and rock out to in your car!

I truly love almost every genre of music but do have some favorites. R&B, old school Hip Hop and EDM will always have a special place in my heart, but I enjoy the challenge of learning and embracing different styles. Recently I traveled to Mexico and heard a whole crate-load of new music that I want to dig into and add to my library. I look forward to traveling more overseas and getting into international playlists and hopefully some gigs too!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I still work my 9 to 5 job alongside my creative endeavors. When pandemic hit and creative gigs pretty much came to an abrupt halt, it was difficult to navigate our business space and place. Tens of thousands of dollars were literally disappearing daily and although I still had my job, my husband’s sense of security was dwindling fast. When he mentioned going back to a regular job in an industry that definitely gave him heartburn and headaches, I asked him to pause and really think about it; take time to pray and be sure before taking what felt like a giant step backwards.

It was then that the shift towards virtual services increased, and we quickly had to pivot our mindset from in-person Dj gigs and equipment supplies to a remote/virtual type of engagement. We were blessed to get some virtual DJ gigs, but it was the virtual church services, meetings and events that wanted high-quality sound that became our new hallmark. Joe’s attention to detail and sound engineering background, along with my event planning and logistics background made us a quick go-to for several companies and houses of worship.

By quickly pivoting to the new business model and marketing, we were able to not only survive the pandemic but grow our business. We met and networked with so many people and learned to lean on others for certain things but also obtain and operate our own equipment instead of relying on rentals. The skills that I was using in my normal job became invaluable and really helped set us up for success.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Equality in access to services and support would be a huge help for all creatives. For DJ’s who watch popular people get a pass on going live on platforms, but then get blocked for doing the exact same thing it became frustrating. For artists who are celebrated for their artwork in live shows to have their artwork critiqued or reviewed by AI and then blocked for “content” was frustrating. It has to be different and unique when it comes to creative arts. More tools to help with marketing, promotion, licensing, proper channels to broadcast or learn about sharing on social media platforms – and affordable options to get this kind of help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.2themaaxe.com/team/dj-ice-kole
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icekoledj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icekoledj
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/icekoledj
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dj-ice-kole-kansas-city
• Other: https://soundcloud.com/icekoledj https://www.mixcloud.com/icekoledj

Image Credits
Tori Erwin / J. Wing Photography